Art in the News - 2013
Read the latest arts news
Council Members Stephen Levin and Jimmy Van Bramer have introduced legislation at the New York City Council that would require the City to have a cultural plan. The plan calls for the city to go out to neighborhoods in the five boroughs to learn what each community wants and needs in a cultural plan, and incorporate those findings into their plan.
Barry's Blog, a service of the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF), posted their Fifty Most Influential People in the Nonprofit Arts (USA) list this Sunday, August 25.
Congratulations to our long-time Board Member Bill Lehr and his wife, Beverlee, who will receive the Patron Award, one of the PA Governer's Award for the Arts at the Whitaker Center in Harrisburg on Oct. 22. The Awards will be presented by First Lady Susan Corbett, who is chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. The Lehrs established the Americans for the Arts Foundation, as well as the Bill Lehr Fund, which supports our Professional Development Programs. We are lucky to have them on our team of strong supporters, and AFTA CEO Bob Lynch looks forward to celebrating all that they have contributed to the arts at the Awards Banquet.
Agnus Gund from the Huff Post reacts to the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approval of cutting the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities by 49 percent, and contests with a strong argument in defense of the arts. In response to the Chairman's stating that the arts were nice to have but not a critical part of American's everyday lives, she mounts "a more vigorous, vital, real-life defense," stating that the arts are particularly essential to our kids, our servicemen and women, and our communities.
Healing Newtown, a project of the The Newtown Cultural Arts Commission, is focusing on the power of music and art to connect and heal a community that was shocked and devastated by the Dec. 14, 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook School. Since December, Healing Newton has been offering classes and workshops as well as hosting community events.
Even with arts education on the wane in many public schools, a new study by The Wallace Foundation suggests that digital technologies are changing the artistic landscape for many young students. "New Opportunities for Interest-Driven Arts Learning in a Digital Age" offers a new take on arts learning based on innovative efforts to bring kids, the technology they are constantly using, and the arts together.
Art is crucial to the economic well-being of a city, and Detroit is no exception – but where does the art bring in the most revenue? The Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) is considering selling its treasured paintings to help balance the bankrupt city’s ledgers. Columnist Nora Caplan-Bricker of the New Republic argues in favor of keeping the paintings in-museum, for both cultural and economic reasons.
In an interview with 2012 National Medal of Arts honoree Lin Arison, she speaks with "Art Works" writer Paulette Beete about the importance of mentorship and her work with both the National Young Arts Foundation and the New World Symphony. Arison talks about what links artists and art education, and how first became an art-lover and eventually a passionate advocate of arts education.
The Independent Sector recently announced Sarah Johnson, director of Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, as the 2013 recipient of the American Express NGen Leadership Award. The annual award, part of the NGen: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now initiative, recognizes one accomplished nonprofit leader age 40 or under that shows the ability to collaborate in innovative, inclusive ways to address society’s critical needs. This is the first time an arts leader has received the award.
